Man Faces Charges Of Counterfeiting

FORT LAUDERDALE — A Tampa man who said he found a bonanza of counterfeit $20 bills in his motel room was arrested over the weekend on charges of passing some of them at a nearby disco, police said.

Steven Edward Parker, 22, led officer Joseph Puleo to the cache after he allegedly passed five counterfeit $20 bills at the club and was caught by the officer with 14 more in his pocket, police said.

Charged with uttering forged bills and possession of forged bills, Parker was booked into the Broward County Jail and later released on $2,000 bond.

Police said Puleo was alerted by personnel at Confetti, an East Commercial Boulevard disco, after Parker used the bills Friday night to buy drinks at a bar there.

When questioned about the phony money, Parker told Puleo he found the bills in his second-floor hotel room on Galt Ocean Mile, police said.

In his report, Puleo said he and fellow officer Al Smith went to the room with Parker and discovered $5,440 in counterfeit $20s in a dresser drawer. The bills, according to reports, were in a paper bag and wrapped with newspaper.

Police said Puleo also found another 16 bogus bills in Parker`s car and seized the vehicle.

Police said the U.S. Secret Service was notified of the arrest and seizure.